Chelsea player Juan Mata has expressed his gratitude to the supporters of the club and returning manager Jose Mourinho, saying that the love and response of the Chelsea fans and Mourinho's efforts have made him stronger and better than before.
Although Mourinho publicly questioned Mata's work off the ball and demanded the playmaker change his game to meet the new realities during his second spell in the club, Mata, who was a two-time Chelsea player of the year, put down his head and worked on improving his game.
According to the Mirror, the idea that he might try to pick a fight with Mourinho was instantly dismissed by Mata, who said that the response of the Chelsea supporters, who agree with virtually everything the Special One does, made him feel proud and made him stronger than before.
Mata further said that the fans have been supporting him since he came to the club, and show their love for him everywhere from the streets to the social media.
The report mentioned that Mata's efforts seem to have paid off after he capped a superb display by exploding his right-footer past Arsenal keeper Lukasz Fabianski on Tuesday.
